4/23/2011

Selvage is an essential element of vintage denim. This is proof of the fabric being only weaved by the vintage looms called "Shuttle Looms". Shuttle looms were invented in England in 1785 and later developed in Japan by Sakichi Toyoda (father of Toyota Motor Corporation founder) in 1897. When domestic heavy ounce denim was produced in Japan, automatic looms made by Toyoda were a mainstream product, though no longer produced nowadays. The traditional production method has nearly disappeared due to the mass production of denim following the popularization of latest (shuttle) looms.

Denim fabrics for Momotaro Jeans are made by artisans who want to create the best denim in the world and still strictly use shuttle looms in doing so. In order to weave heavy ounce denim with primitive feel, as low tension as possible and without losing any of the cotton's original character, careful selection of power looms for heavy ounce fabrics and artisanal technique weaving as slowly and as carefully as possible, is required and will finally create genuine denim. View the above video showing shuttle looms in action producing fabrics in the Rampuya mill for Momotaro denim.